The Guy's Gotta Be Taller
by heartxtime
Summary: Hitsugaya Toushirou isn't as short as he seems to be. Why do some girls make such a big fuss about their guys being shorter than them anyway? hinamori x toushirou, rated T for safety, AU, oneshot.


Disclaimer: I do not own the anime Bleach. (Or do you think I do? Of course not!)

This is a Hinamori and Toushirou pairing. My first oneshot and my first AU. Enjoy! And remember – please! Please! Please! Please! REVIEW.

**The Guy's Gotta Be Taller**

Hitsugaya Toushirou walked aimlessly through the bookshelves of his local library. He'd been searching the shelves for a book for ages – without success.

Though short in stature, he was great in mind and body. Because of his eye-catching white hair, his gruff and aloof attitude and his sharp blue eyes, he was a major favourite for girls.

At least, for the girls shorter than him.

What was it with girls – they made such a big fuss and put so much effort in making sure that 'their' guy was taller than they were! Not that he cared. His ambition at the moment was to pass his exams and graduate high school.

He couldn't exactly say that he was 'deep', but he knew that if he wanted a girlfriend, she at least ought to care about Hitsugaya Toushirou, not Hitsugaya-kun the white-haired, blue-eyed, not-too-tall cutie.

Not that he wanted any girl in particular. He had set his mind as straight as a line on his ambitions, and nothing else. Unless, of course, that line wandered the unpredictable paths of attraction, obsession, passion and seduction.

"Oof!"

In his misty mind-wanderings, he found that he'd bumped carelessly into someone.

His only response was, "My bad."

"Toushirou-kun! Don't talk to me like that! It's me, Hinamori."

Turning his head slightly to glance at her, he uttered, "Aah."

"Geez. Anyway, what're you doing here? It's not like you're a novel person in your free time."

"I'm not. I'm looking for a book to help with my essay." He looked at her directly, leaned in and tapped her head. "Common sense."

To his dismay, Hinamori just smiled and said, "Really? Well then, Toushirou-kun, you're in the wrong section. The non-fiction section is on the other side of the library." She beamed at him, glad to have helped someone.

"Eh? Why are you blushing, Toushirou-kun?"

Toushirou gave her a bleak look and a half-smile. _She has no idea how embarrassed I, the normally cool and distant shortie, am. What an ignorant airhead._ _Still,_ he thought,_ she's nice – for all her airiness._

You may be wondering why Hinamori seemed so close to Toushirou, in calling him by his first name. You may be wondering how anyone so sweet, airy yet innocent can embarrass such a 'wild' boy, when no one else can get more that a half-hearted smile out of him.

_Well, it's not like we weren't childhood friends. And it's not like we aren't neighbours. And it's not like we sorta…parted our ways when we grew up, although we're in the same class. And it's not like –_

Yadayada. Some people are just so hopeless.

" – Toushirou-kun? Toushirou? Hey, are you even listening? I was asking, if you'd like to go to the stargazing night the class committee organized. Hey!"

Toushirou could barely hear Hinamori. All he felt was how their shoulders were touching now. The space between the bookshelves suddenly seemed so small and warm. The feeling was different from any other he'd ever experienced. And that made it frightening. He quickly pulled away.

"Huh? Oh – yeah – stargiving - class formulized – yeah, haha, gotta go!"

Hinamori looked after him with her large, round eyes.

"What's wrong with him? He never loses his cool. Anyway, he didn't even say the words properly! It's star_gazing_ and class _committee_ _organized_. Geez! Sometimes I wonder why the top of language class is the top of language class…"

Toushirou tried to walk casually out of the library doors, but not before he tripped on a shoulderbag that was lying on the floor. He stumbled, looked around him to see Hinamori watching him, gave her a weak smile, and walked off.

**At The Stargazing Night**

_Tcherr. The stargazing night's more of a party than a nocturnal, educational programme we promised the teachers._

Hitsugaya Toushirou had his back to a tree in the park where the stargazing was concluding. People packed up their telescopes and stuff and went to chat with their friends or flirt with the opposite gender. Toushirou watched as, in front of him, a dance floor was set up. As more and more people joined into the dancing, it got bigger and bigger until it was right in front of him.

Somebody – a pair of hands behind him, he suspected – pushed him into the jiving melee. Pushed here and pulled there, he didn't notice who he was shoved into until he realized he was holding someone by the waist. And it was a girl.

Stepping back, he scrutinized the face. It still wasn't too clear in the dark, until –

"Toushirou-kun?"

His eyes widened. He knew that sweet, airy voice.

"Hinamori? Is that you?"

"Yeah. Um – since when did you grow so tall?"

Great. It was one of those 'my-guy's-gotta-be-taller-than-me' things again. The ones that girls worried about so much.

Or maybe not. He realized that Hinamori's face was almost level with his, meaning he was only slightly shorter than she was. His hair could hide that.

He also became conscious of the fact that Hinamori's face was close to his. _Very_ close.

His breath hitched slightly when his hands slid down along her waist a little more. She was so goddamned – nice. And airy. And – cute?

That feeling again. It was warm, nice – left him breathless.

Someone from behind pushed him accidentally. Before he understood the situation, he was kissing Hinamori on the mouth.

_Kissing_ her.

And he – for want of a better word – _liked_ it. It was probably more than liking, but he felt greedy – _greedy_, for once – for more. But how was Hinamori taking it?

His hands (oh yes, his hands) were still on Hinamori's waist. He felt her shift slightly, and suddenly two hands – Hinamori's lovely hands - were there on his neck.

Oh, man how he loved it. He was ecstatic, and suddenly he realized one more thing. How long had he loved this girl in his arms without knowing it?

Maybe – just maybe – some girls don't mind a guy who's not taller than them. Even if there's only a little way to go.


End file.
